I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 44: We’re safe...? (II)

Maybe it noticed I wasn’t moving. Maybe it understood that I couldn’t.

It was wrong.

The two MUNCHES snickered, their voices low and ugly.

"WOHO, me thought human was scary." one of them said, smacking its chest. "But he still kill one of ours though."

They laughed.

Then one of them started walking toward me.

My body still wouldn’t move. All I could do was look at Hana.

"Hana! Ru—"

She didn’t run.

Before I could finish, she stepped in front of me.

Her small arms spread wide as she planted herself there, blocking my view— like she thought she could stop them.

"Get away!" she shouted.

At the same time, a familiar window flashed into existence beside my vision.

「600 EXP Acquired」

「Lv 6 → 7 = 350 (Remaining: 450)

Lv 7 → 8 = 400 (Remaining: 50)

Lv 8 → 9 = 450 (Not enough)

Current Level: Lv 8

Remaining EXP: 50」

I ignored it.

I looked at Nivalis.

She lay still now— collapsed in the snow, chest barely rising.

Unconscious.

"Hana..." My mouth moved, voice strained. "You’re not powerful anymore. Get away!"

She didn’t.

She closed her eyes instead.

The MUNCHES noticed.

They slowed down on purpose, dragging their steps, mocking. One of them leaned forward, grinning wide, raising its weapon.

They stopped right in front of her.

And just as one was about to swung—

Two dull thuds hit the snow.

Hana didn’t get hit.

Something rolled past her feet.

Heads.

I froze.

Behind the standing headless MUNCHES stood a woman I hadn’t seen a second ago. Calm. Untouched. As if the world itself had made space for her.

She glanced at the fallen bodies, then at me.

"...What was that?" she asked, tilting her head.

"What skill did you use?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, sharp and curious.

"You weren’t fast," she said. "And it didn’t look like reinforcement."

A pause.

"It looked like teleportation."

She smiled faintly.

"...You didn’t even chant, Oh my god."

I looked at her, my eye twitched. "Y-you bitch!" I shouted, rage spilling out before I could stop it. "This is your fault!"

She giggled— soft, amused. "Woah, young man. Why are you calling me that?" she said lightly. "And watch your mouth. There’s a kid here."

She walked past me and stopped beside Hana. With a casual tap against the still standing, headless MUNCHES— their bodies collapsed into the snow.

Standing in front of Hana now, she gently patted her head.

Hana closed her eyes. "Aren’t you the drunk woman from the peak of the mountain?" Hana murmured. "I’m sorry... it was my fault your blade disappeared."

"No," I cut in. "It was my fault. If I hadn’t taken the katana from her when time was stopp—"

"Stop?"

The mysterious woman snapped her head toward me.

"Yes," I answered. "When time was stopped, I took your katana from your hand. And it’s your fault too— why were you wandering around drunk in Snow grave— no... Snowfall Mountain."

Strange...

The strange thing was, when I said Snowfall Mountain... Nothing glitched. Nothing rejected the words.

Her eyes sparkled.

"Wait," she said slowly. "Time... stopped?"

Then—

THUD.

A deep, distant impact echoed across the mountain.

I looked back at the mysterious woman.

"Fuck... that’s— you!" I spat, forcing my head up to glare at her. "Help us. This is your fault anyway."

A window blinked into existence beside my vision.

「TARGET DISTANCE: 3728M」

She crouched in front of me and suddenly leaned in. Cold fingers caught my cheeks, firm enough that I couldn’t pull away. And tilting my face up whether I wanted it or not. She hummed, tapping her chin with one finger while still holding my face in place.

"Help?" she murmured, amused. "Hmm."

"Say it," I answered immediately. "Whatever it is."

Her brows lifted, clearly entertained.

"Woah. That was fast." Her lips curled. "Tell me everything you know. And show me that move again."

"...That’s it?" I asked, disbelief. "Fine. Of course. Yes— now help us."

Another window flashed.

「TARGET DISTANCE: 2891M」

My breath caught.

"Wait," I said slowly. "How are you going to help us...?"

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she stood, reached down, and casually took the katana resting beside my useless hand. Then she stepped over my body lying in the snow, bent slightly— and hoisted me over her shoulder like I weighed nothing.

I dangled there, vision swaying.

"Hey! I said us, not just me!" I protested.

"Relax, kid," she said lazily. "I know." Then, with a warning in her voice, "Don’t make me move fast."

Hana followed close behind, silent.

The woman approached Arven, who was slumped against a tree. Blood dripping from her temple, staining the snow beneath her. Without hesitation, the woman grabbed Arven by the jacket, yanked her upright with terrifying ease, dragged her across the ground— and tossed her onto Nivalis’s back, straight from the saddle.

"BITCH! You’re going to kill her!" I shouted.

She glanced back at me and flicked my forehead.

"I told you," she said flatly. "Watch your mouth."

Then her gaze shifted to Hana standing beside us.

"Wait— no, no," I said.

She looked at me once— then grabbed the back of Hana’s jacket and tossed her onto Nivalis’ saddle.

"Wahh!" Hana screamed, clinging on.

"Trust me," the woman said casually. "I know what I’m doing."

She moved fast.

Instead of drawing the katana, she swung her arm low— sharp motion, clean— and the rope binding Nivalis legs snapped apart like it was never there.

Then she was at Nivalis’ side.

Her fist struck once.

Then again.

Ribs.

Joints.

Pressure points— precise, brutal, deliberate.

Nivalis’ massive body jerked.

Her eyes snapped open.

She staggered, then forced herself upright with a low, confused whine.

"There, there," the woman said lightly, patting her side. "Don’t worry. I just fixed you."

A system window flared beside my vision.

「TARGET DISTANCE: 1228M」

"!?! Faster," I said immediately. "We need to move. Now."

She glanced at Nivalis. "Straight ahead, yeah? Toward the tower?"

I nodded.

She shifted her grip— katana in her left hand, her right still planted firmly against my back as she carried me like I weighed nothing.

Then—

She unsheathed the blade.

And swung.

One clean arc.

The air screamed as the blade passed.

Trees in front of us were sliced apart in an instant— trunks sheared, branches torn away as a violent wind exploded outward, clearing a straight path like the forest itself had been carved open.

I froze.

Even I felt the shockwave ripple through my body.

"What?" she said, glancing at me with a grin. "Surprised?"

I didn’t answer.

I just turned my face away.

She giggled softly, then looked at Nivalis. "Alright, ancient doggy," she called out. "Run. Straight ahead. Same place you’re all going."

Nivalis barked once.

Then she ran.

Hard.

Straight toward the tower.